Apparatus for preparation of inert gases



E. E. MOLAS.. APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF INERT GASES.

APPLICATION F ILED JULY 2" I938- 1,327 769 rammed Jan. 13, 1920.

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(1 2 7 I /d s Q I S Q 2 v E. E. MOLAS. APPARATUS FOB PREPARATION OF IN'ERT GASES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 19 18.

1327,769. 4 Patented Jan. 13,1920.

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F I: f {12 f E. E. MOLAS. APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF INERT GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 19:8-

1,327,769, Patented Ja1 1.13,1920.

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Inventor:

E. E. MOLAS. APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF INERT GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2.1918- Patented Jan. 13,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 1 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

nnormnn ELIE MOLAS, or rams, rnANcE.

. duce from the burnt gases of internal comi To all whom it may concern:

APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION OF INERT GASES.

. Be it known that I, EDo ARo ELIE MOLAS, of No. 22 Rue des Cendriers, Paris, France, haveinvented an apparatus for the preparation of inert gases from the burnt gases of explosion-motors, particularly for the purpose of inflating pneumatic tires, of

which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description. 7 a

This invention has for its ob ect to probustion engines an inert gas under pressure adapted to be used for various purposes and, in'particular, for inflating pneumatic tires. A further object is to provide means whereby such gas may be manufactured and stored during the normal operation of the engine, when used, for example, on a'motor car, without substantially affecting the power of said engine.

Another object is to produce such gas by means of an apparatus which will be eflicient, light and simple both in structure and in operation.

With these and other objects in view, which will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a connection be tween the explosion chamber oftheengine and a storage tank containing a suitable liquid reagent, and control the passage of the gas through such connection by means of two valves, one being adapted to respond only to the explosion pressure in the engine and the other adapted to vary the amount of gas admitted to said connectlon. I further provide a cock for discharging the gas beneath the level of the liquid in the tank and for controlling such level and'draining the liquid when required. Byway'of example the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the application of the apparatus to an automobile motor. Fig. 2 shows the reservoir separately in 1 section.

Fig. 3 shows separately in section a needle valve forming'part of the apparatus Fig. 4 shows a flap valve which forms part ofthe apparatus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a ,gas intake cock and the safety valve forming part of the apparatus. v

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing it will Patented Jan.13, 1920.

Application filed J'u1y2 f1918. Serial No. 243,085.

I Figs. 5,;6, 7, 8, 9 and ,10 show a multiple cock formlng part of the apparatus.

be seen that the apparatus comprises a needle cock.a, permanently fixed on to the valve plug of one of the cylinders of the motor I) and connected by means of piping c to a check valve d.

The latter is in communication by means of piping 6 with a multiple cock f fixed to the reservoir g. The latter is provided with a filling nozzle h and with a gas outlet cock t upon which the safety valve is mounted.

The tank 9 (Fig. 2) is constructed of sheet iron of a suitable strength to be able to support easily the explosion pressure of the mo-.

tor and also to be perfectly" fiuid-tight.

In order to obviate thenecessityof constructing a large number of unions and joints, members having multiple functions are used in connection with the apparatus.

The needle cook a (Fig.3) comprises a steel base a, adapted to be fixed on to the motor. Since the expansions of the two elements, the plug and t e base, are of the same order of magnitude, perfect fiuidtightness is insured.

The base (1' serves as a seating for a needle 0 which may be made of nickel or steel,

for the purpose of preventing oxidation.

The movements of the needle a are limited by a screw a located in the body a which is preferably made of bronze (or gunmetal). A lock nut a keeps the needlea in the adjusted position. A bronze cap screwed on to-the body of the "cock, insures the fiuidtightness of the whole. A screw threaded union a, branched on to the body of the cock, serves for the passage of the gases passing from the needle cock. to the 'non-return flap valve ti. s

The needle cook remains constantly open, but at each explosion it only allows a very small quantity of as to pass in order not to weaken apprecia ly the power of the motor and throw the working thereof out of equilibrium.

The said needle cock enables either the nickel steel valve body d, loaded by aspring d in such a way as to let pass only gases arising from explosion and not those of com- Apression. A bronze cap 61 insures the fluidtightness of the arrangement and provides a point of support for the spring 03 A screW- threaded union (Z is adapted to be coupled to the. piping that brings the gases under the valve body d. Another screw-threaded union d is adapted to be connected to the piping which terminates at the multiple cock f. I Y

The multiple-cock f (Figs. 5 tolO) comprises a bronze casing provided with a screw-threaded union f having a passa e f therein. The upper part of the multipi cock f is adapted to befixed intothe bottom of the'tank g. The said cock has several passages (Figs. 7 to 10). In the passage f is fitted a brass tube 7 open at the top and 4 covered by a cap F; the bottom of which is pierced with small holes 7. In the passage '7" is fitted a tube 7 open at the top.- This tube is of a suitable length for only retain-- mg in the tank 9 the quantity of water that is strictly necessary. The passage 7 opens at right angles into a passage f located at 'the side and closed by a drain cock f which serves for the draining of the tank 9. v

Moreover the casing of the said multiple cock has a passage f formed therein 'intended for the escape of the overflow.

{The plug f (Fig. 10) is provided with t passage f bent at right angles, 'which.

' 40 when suitably turned (Fig. 8), puts the gas inlet f into communication with the passage f and the tube 7, in such a way that the gases passing through the -capf and the small holes f bubble up through the water in the tank 9 '(Fig. 2).

The said plug 1s provided with a second passage bent at right angles f Fig. 9,10-v

cated tothe' right, each part of this passage forming an angle of 180? with that part of 5.0" the passage f which is in the same plane and this passage, when suitably turned, puts the passage 7? and the tube i into cdmmunication with the passage f", thus enabling the excess water contained in the tank to escape. i

The plug 7" (Fig. 10.) is resiliently held in its seat by the hollow washer spring f" and the nut f. p

The arrangement of theselatter members is so constituted as to prevent mud and grit from causing deterioration of the rubbing surfaces and thereby impairing the fluid tightness of the multiple cock 7.

The gas cock i (Fig. 11 and 12) is provided' with a screw threaded union 2'', for

the purpose of fixing the said gas cock on and a nut 2* insure resilient tightening and the protection of the plug 71 under the same 1 condition and tom the same reasons as those already indicated. The apparatus being permanently installed on an automobile, as in Fig. 1, a certain quantity of lime Water is poured into the tank 9 through the nozzle h. The multiplecock 7 having been placed in the position indicated in F 1g. 9, the eX- '85 cess Water will flow away through the passages f f, f. This being done, the nozzle I h is closed and then the cock f is brought I into the position indicated inv Fig. 8; The

needle a is then opened, and the cock 6 placed in the position in which it is open toward the valve, as indicated in Fig. 11. When the apparatus is in order all that is necessary for the preparation ofan inert gas I suitable for inflating pneumatic tires is to start the motor. I At each explosion in the cylinder in question, a certain quantity of the burnt gases passes under the needle a flows through the union 0;, arrives under the needle (2, which thus lifts, and then these gases pass throu h the union d and through the piping e to t e multiple cock 7'' whichthey traverse by passing through the passages f f i f and the capf These gases, on leaving through the small holes 7", in the form of fine streams and bubbles of small volume (Fig. 2), give up their heat to the water, at the same t1me liberating the small quantities of oil or petrol or other impurities that they contain and. are then separated from the carbon dioxid, which precipitates a certain quantity of carbonate of lime.

The explosion gases have in this way produced almost pure nitrogen, cold and under pressure, ready'to be employed for the inflation of'the tires.

The operation is completed when the pressure in the tank 9, added to the load on the spring 05 ofthe check valve, is equal to thatdeveloped by the explosion in the cylinder. From that momentthe needle a? andthe cock 7", although remaining open, donot let any gas pass therethrough.

When the water contained in'the-tank'g is-required to be changed, all that is necessary is to open the drain cock f 'and then refill the tank with the water.

When it is desired to inflate a tire the union 6 may be connected to the tire valve by means of flexible pipe in a Well-known manner.

The compressed gas contained in the tank 9 may be utilized for the following apparatllkSi starters, hooter whistle, oil tank or the H e.

The forms, details, accessories, materials and dimensions vof this apparatus may of course be varied, without-departing in any way from the principle of the invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus for preparing an inert gas from the burnt gases of said engine comprising a pipe, an adjustable intake valve connecting said pipe with the explosion chamber of said engine, a check valve inserted in said pipe and adapted to be actuated by the force of the explosion,

said check valve being unaifected by the compression pressure in the engine, a storage tank containing a liquid having a basic character, and a cock connecting said pipe with said receptacle and adapted to dis charge the gases beneath the'level of the liquid in said tank. v

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus for preparing an inert gas from the burnt gases of said engine comprising a pipe, a check valve between said pipe and the explosion chamber of said engine, means for regulating the movements of said check valve, another check valve inserted in said pipe,a spring for controlling the movements of the latter check valve, said spring being so tensioned that the valve controlled thereby will be actuated by a pressure greater than the compression pressure in the engine, a storage tank containing a liquid having a basic character, a cock connecting said pipe with said receptacle and adapted to discharge the gases beneath the level of the liquid in said tank, and means operatively connected with said cock for defining the level of the liquid in said tank.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus for preparing an inert gas from the burnt gases of said engines comprising a storage tank containing a liquid having a basic character, a connection between said tank and the explosion only I chamber of said engine, means for defining the level of the liquid in the tank, means for discharging gas from said "connection beneath the level of said liquid, means for draining the liquid from said tank, a single cock for operating said means in the desired sequence, a check valve in said connection adapted to be operated only by a pressure greater than the compression pressure in the engine, and an adjustable check valve adapted to control the amount of gases admitted through said connection.

The foregoing specification of my apparatus for the preparation of inert gases from the burnt gases of explosion motors particularly for the purpose of inflating pneumatic tires, signed by me this 26th day of April,

' EDOUARD ELIE MOLAS. Witnesses:

CHAS. P. PREssLY, FRANQOIS WEBER. 

